Feed-water apparatus for steam boilers



M. M, CROWLEY FEED WATERAPPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS Filed Jan. 22, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .K Dee.- 15, 19z5f 1,565,989

M. M. CROWLEY FEED WATER APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS j@ Filed Jan. z2, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 l y Qi ,QI K `fp] g l l 1 i l. l

,to'which it is applied.

Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

' MICHAEL M. CROWLEY, oF sioux CITY, IoWA.

FEEDTWMER APPARATUS rose siriani/rL BOILERS.

`Application lfiled January Y22, 1925.

To all wv/10m. 'it may concern: v

Be 1t known that I, MICHAEL M. CROWLEY,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sioux City, in the county of llVoodbury and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements vin FeedlVater Apparatus for Ste-am Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus used for supplying water to a steam boiler, and it is my object to provide mechanism for preheating the water and subjecting it to the action of a settling tank, designed toremove a large proportion of the impurities ordinarily found in the Water, prior to its injection into the boiler.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus which is of simple, durable and inex-V pensive construction, and which will not increase materially the weight of a locomotive A furthe-r o ject 's to provide an apparatus having pre-heating pipes i-n which a constant circu ation of water is maintained, irrespective of the action of the injecting apparatus, in orde-r to revent the burning out of the said preheating pipes and at the same time subjecting part kof 'the waterof thel forward end of the boiler constantly to the direct heat of the fi-re box of the boiler.

My invention, 'as applied to a steam locomotive, involves the use `of a pair of preheating pipes extended through the lire box of the locomotive just above the brick arch thereof, each of the pre-heating tubes being connected `at one end by means of a double action lcheck valve4 to the front end of the boiler, and also to one of the injectors of lthe locomotive, and at the other end to a settling tank, from which the heated water is injectlation :ofthe water lfthro'ugh "the Jnetiilnitilbe from th'e boiler into the'.v 'other pref-heating tube whichfilsi'notbeingfsubjected tota stream of water from an injector.

further kobject is 'to ,provide a .novel check valve lada 'ted '1to-.perform fthe .funcfgiegoing objects.

Serial No. 3,935.

A still further object is to provide a settlingl tank of simple and novel construction which may be readily disassembled for cleaning purposes, and which is especially adapted to remove impurities from the water being injected into the boiler.

Another object is to so construct the preheating' tubes that they mayl be readilv cleaned. 'I

Another object is to provide means for utilizing the exhaust steam from the locomotive cylinders to maintain an atmosphere around the settling tank approaching the temperature of the Water within the tank, so as to make up for loss of heat by radiation of the heat from the tank.

More specifically, referring to the settling tank, it is my object to provide. a. construction in which a tank of material such as copper, is provided with a wide annular flange serving asa gasket between a steam jacket surrounding the tank, and a. cover of the tank, and in which a battle plate is provided to induce a circulation of the incoming Water downwardly in the tank before discharge int-o the injecting tube, and further to prevent -a direct flow of Water between the two inlets from the pre-heating tubes.

7ith these and other objects in View, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts ofmy device, whereby the objects conytenrplated are attained, as Vhereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, in which:

Wig. is a perspective view of ia Ylocomotiveshown in broken lines with my apparatus installed thereon shown in Vheavy `and dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through lthe lire box of a locomotive, illustrating the Vmounting of the settling tank thereon, and the manner of installing the vpreheating tubes.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view .through the settlingtank, taken .on the vline 3 3 of Fig. 2.v

fF ig. 4 .is a transverse sectional view through the 4sett-ling'tank, taken on'the line iof Fig. .3.

Fig. 5 is a lhorizontal sectional .View thro-ugh one of Ythe checkvalves and .its con- --necting tubes.

I :have used ,the reference. character lOto indicate, gemelli the A'avt-trdd'rfizal .eert-inn ci' the boiler ot a locomotive, having the cab, 11, the saddle, 12, the valve chamber, 13, the exhaust steam cavity, ls-, the exhaust nozzle, l5, the running` board, 16, the crown sheet, 1T, the mud ring, 18, and the boiler leg having the outer side sheet, 19, and the inner side sheet, 20, the arch tubes, 21, the arch, 22, and the injectors, 23 and 2l, supported suitably from the frame of the locomotive. Each of the injectors, 23 and 24, has the water inlet pipe, 25, the steam inlet pipe, 2d, the overflow pipe, 27, and the branch pipe, 28, or 28a through which the water is cischarged from the injector. The branch pipe from the injector, 24, l have referred to by the character 28.

I provide a pair ot pre-heating tubes, 2li" and 27D, which are extended through the nrc box of a locomotive just above the arch, and ahead of the cab, 11. The sleeves, 28"), are swaged into the respective legs o'l the boiler to receive the tubes. To the outer ends oit the tubes, 2Gb and 27h. are lixed the flanges, 29, providing,` means for connecting the tubes to their respective connecting pipes.

The tubes, 26" and 27h, are preterably ot' copper, which does not corrode as readily as iron, which is easier cleaned, and to which the impurities ol water do not as readily adhere and which they do not encrnst.

On one side ot the locomotive the elbows. 80, are provided to connect the tubes. 2Gb and 27D, to the valves, A and B, respectively. Each elbow. 30, is provided with an extension, 31, aligned with that portion ot the elbow, which is connected with the respective pre-heating` tube and provided with a plug, 32, which is removable to allow the insertion oi a cleaning instrument.

Each check valve, A and B, comprises .t bowl-shaped valve chamber, 38, having the two valve seats, 34 and 35, and closed at. one side by means of a cover plate, 3G. A. double faced valve, 3T, has a stem, SS, slidably mounted in the boss. 39, ot the chamber, ESI). and a sleeve. 40, on the cover plate, 36.

A threaded, handled valve rod, Ltl, mounted in the cove-r plate, 36. and may ha utilized to torce the valve, 37, against its seat. 35. should the saine become corroded slightly or encrusted with 'foreign material suilicient to prevent proper seating ol'l the Talve.

The chamber. is provided with two necks, 12 and 43. respectively, con'imunicaring with the. chamber on either side ot the valve, 37, and with a neck, lll. communicating with the chamber on both sides ot the valve, 37, when the same is in interinar iatc position. rl`he neck, all, olil each valve .is connected with the elbow, SO, of the respective pre-heating tube, as shown in Fig. 1, and to the two necks, 3, is connected Y-shaped pipe iitting, 45, serving to provide communication between the two valves and the return tube, 46, tapped to the boiler at l?. 'the necks, L12, ot the respective valves, A and l, communicate with the branch pipes, and 28, respectively leading from the injectors, 2a and 23, respectively. The branch pipe, 28a, is extended under the boiler just ahead of the boiler leg, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The settling tank, 48, is preferably made of copper, provided at its lower end with a discharge clean-out tube, 49, closed by a blow-oli cock, 59. The tube, 2Gb, is connected to the settling tank, a8, by means of a short connecting` pipe, 5l, and the tube, 2lb, by means of a. pipe, 52, extending partially around the tank and entering the tank at right angles to the pipe, 51.

Between the discharge ends oil? the pipes, 51 and 52, is positioned a diagonally disposed, vertical baiilc plate, 53, supported from a horizontal battle plate, 5l, positioned above both ot the tubes, 5l and 52, between them and the top of the tank.

The upper edge oit the tank, l, is provided with a flange, which serves as a gasket between the steam jacket, 5G, .snrrounding the tank and the cover plate. 5T. closing the upper end of the tank. A. short exhaust tube, 58, secured to the coverl plate, 57, serves to provide comniunication het wee'. the tank, 1S, and the injecting tube, l.. which is tapped into the boiler, 1t), at (S9. .,"t bottom plate, (ll, closes the lower end ol the jacket, 56, and may be secured to the cleanout tube, 49, by brazing` or otherwise. drain tube, 62, secured in the bottom plate. 61, and closed by a valve, (SS, serves to allow draining ot condensed water 'troni the interior ot' the. jacket, 5G.

The entire settling apparatus is support' .l on brackets, (lll: and 65, sccv'ucd to the .si plates, 19 and Q0, ot the boiler leg, by means ot bolts, (36, and riveted to the. jacket, 5o.

Steam issuing from the valve chamber, lil, into the exhaust: cavity. 1+i, is supplied through a tube, 6.7, tapped into the saddle. l2, and communicating with the cavity, lll, a

pipe, GS, ,connected with the tube, (3T, and a pipe, (59, secured in the jacket, 5G. to the spare surrounding the lank. ttl, within tlu` jacket, 56. return tube. T0, connected to tbe tube, il.. .secured in the jacket. 56. is lapped into the nozzle. l5, all as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. l. the pressin'e o l'r the steam issuing troni the c vlinders will lu slightly greater at the entrance to the tube, 67, and will therefore create a circulatitui oll a. suliicient quantity ot steam through the jacket, 5G, to maintain the temperature surrounding the tank, liti, at a snliicient level l o prevent any appreciable loss oli' heat troni radiation from the water within the tank.

ln the operation ofmyapparatus, when the injectors are not being used the pressure .llo

jlfl) through the pipe, 46, will cause the valves, 37, to seat against the respective seats, 35, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and will thereby establish Communication between the tube, 46, and the preheating tubes, 26h and 27]. Y The tube, 59, is positioned slightly above the tube, 46, so that-the heated water will tend to circu- 4late through the pre-heatingtubes in'to the tank, 48, and thence through the tube, 59, into the boiler and back through the return tube, 46. As the water circulates the baille plate, 54, will tend to direct the current downwardly in the tank, 48, in the water, as illustrated by the arrows, 72, the water then ilowing upwardly around the sides of the tankand around the edges ot the battle` plate, 54, as indicated by the arrows, 73, in F ig. 3. The water in flowing through the preheating tubes, '26h and 2T", is brought to a very high temperature sufficient that it will tend to boil in the tank, 48, against the pres sure of steam from within the boiler, 10. lhile in this condition the impurities, such as mud, carried by Athe. water will be dropped within the tank, 48, the .circulation of theA water therein aiding the settling out of the impurities by the momentum of the particles.

It is a known tact that most impurities will. settle out from the water rwithin the pipes ot a locomotive subjected to the ordinary pressure ot a boiler, at temperatures ranging trom 800 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, so that as the water is allowed to 'flow down :in the enlarged chamber of the tank, 48, the

greater amount ofthe impurities will separate therefrom.

then the injector, 23, is in operation, the pressure of the water 'flowing through the tube, 28, will seat the valve, 3T, proper of the valve. l against the pressure from the boiler, exerted through the pipe, 46, the saine as in the ordinary. check valve used in connection with the branch pipe of the ordinary injector. rlhe water 'trom the injector will thence [low through the tube, 2'7", and tlirough the tank, 48, and the injecting tube, 59, into the boiler. The same settling of impurities willv occur in this process.

li'hi'lc either injector is inaction alone, .it will be seen that a part otf the lpressure from the injeiiztor may be relieved through the preheating tube which is not in direct communication with. thatinjector, as the tube, titl, where the injector, 2.3, is being used, and the injected water thus caused to iiow through the tube, 5D, and the tube, 46, into the boiler. Should this occur,r it would be desirable to prercnl a direct tlowlotl water iiroin the tube, tothe tube. Sincesuch a direct flow would prevent the proper funrtioning oi the settlingr tank in r'enioving'the impurities, the battle plate, .53, is `therefore provided and so positioned as to obstruct the .path ot' a current Q'f'water [towing between '.jthe'seV two tubes,

When the injector, 24, is in operation, the valve, A, will act in the same ymanner as the described action. of the valve, B, in connection with the injector, 23, anda current of .vatcrwill be forced throughthe pre-heating tube, 26. In either case the other preheating tube will remain constantly iilled with water'to prevent burning out.V

`Then the injectors are shut ott the respective valves, 37, will return to the valve seats, 35, and check the flow of water from the boiler back through the injectors, as in the ordinary check valve. Should both injectors be used at once the return tube, 46, will be temporarily disconnected entirely from the tubes, 261 and 27", anda stream of water torcedthrough both ot' these tubes into the injecting tube, 59. F or this purpose the injecting tube, 59, is made twice the size ofthe tubes, 26" and 27".

The valves, A and- B, are located just under the ruiming board, 16,0t' the locomotive.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement oi' the parts ot' my invention without departing trom the real spirit and purpose oi my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use ot' mechanical equivalents which may be resonably included within their scope.

By circulating the watertrom the 'forward end ot, the boiler through the preheating' tubes and back to the boiler,v the temperature ot the water at the forward end ot `the boiler may be brought to a point more nearly equal to that ot the water directly over the lirebox.

`ln the 'ordinary locomotive there is a considerable diilerence in temperature between the forward end and the rear end oi the boiler, due to the concentration ot heat at the rear end, and the etliciency ot' the loroinotive is thus less than it. would be were the teinperaturcs more nearly equal. lu addition to this, the unequal temperatures causeundue strains upon the 'sides otl the boiler, necessitating frequent repairs.

In addition to providing a means Jor preheating the water to' be injected for the .lirst time into the locomotive,` and tor boiling out the impurities, my apjiiaratus will constantly heat a stream ot water flowing throiigh the preheating tube i'rom the return tube, 46, to the injecting tube, 59. In order to create such circulation the tube, 59, communicates with the boiler at a point somewhat abore the level o't' the elbow, 47, there by utilizing the thermo-Siphon principle ot `water circulation. The settling ti-ank. although it acts only on Vfreshly introduced feed water, does not interfere with such circula-tion oi. water from the forward end oft the boiler.

kIt will be understood thatwhere the word inject- 01 susedn-the claims vand specifica LIT tions it reiers to any type ot pumping means :tor forcing Water into the boiler.

I claim as my invent-ion:

l. In combination with a locomotive having a boiler, an injector and a lire box, an injecting tube, a return tube, a preheating tube extending through the iire box and communicating at one end with the injecting tube tor conducting iced water to the boiler, a valve connecting the other end of the preheating tube to the injector and to the return tube and adapted to automatically establish communication between the injector' and preheating tube when the injector is in action, and between the return tube and preheating tube when the injector is not in action.

2. In combination with a locomotive having an injector, a boiler and a tire box, a preheating tube extending through the lire box and communicating at one end with an injecting tube ttor conducting feed water to the boiler, a valve comprising a valve chamber having a centrally positioned valve element separating said chamber into two compartments, said chamber having a first port communicating with one compartment and connected by a return tube to the boiler, having a second port communicating with the other compartment and connecting with the injector, and having a third port, the valve element being adapted under unequal pressures from said first and second ports to move from one position where one compartment is in communication with said third port, to a` second position where the other compartment is in communication with said third port, said third port being connected with the preheating tube at its end opposite its communication with the injecting tube.

In combination with a locomotive having an injector, a. boiler and a .tire box, a prcheating tube extending through the [ire box and communicating at one end with an injecting tube it'or conducting feed water to the boiler, a valve comprising a valve chamber having` a centrally positioned valve element separating said chamber into two compartments, said chamber having a :tirst port counnunicatiug with one con'ipartment and connected by a return tube to the boiler, having a second port comnninicating with the other compartment and connecting with the injector, and having a third port, the valve clement being adapted under unequal pressures from said first and second ports to more from one position where one compartment is in communication with said third port, to a second position where the other compartment is in communication with said third port, said third port being connected with the preheating tube at its end opposite its communication with the injecting tube, and a threaded rod extending into said valve chamber and adapted to engage the valve element to move it forcibly against one ot' its seats.

4. In combination with a locomotive having an injector, a boiler and a tire box, a preheating tub-e extending through the tire box and communicating at one end with an injecting tube for conducting feed water to the boiler, a valve comprising a valve chamber having a. centrally positioned valve element separating said chamber into two compartments, said chamber having a first port communicating with one compartment and connected by a return tube to the boiler, having a second port communicating with the other compartment and connecting with the injector, and having a third port, the valve element being adapted under unequal pressures trom said iirst and second ports to move trom one position where one compartment is in communication with said third port, to a second position where the other compartment is in communication with said third port, said third port being connected with the preheating tube at its end opposite its communication with the injecting tube through the medium ot an elbow having a plugged clean-out extension aligned with the preheating tube.

5. In combination with a locomotive having a. boiler, an injector, and a irebox, a pre-heating tube extending through the tirebox, a settling tank communicating with one end of said tube, a return tube from the boiler, a valve connecting the other end ot said pre-heating tube to the injector and to the return tube, said valve being adapted to automatically establish communication between the injector' and pre-heating tube when the injector isA in action, and between the return tube and pre-heating tube when the injector is not, in action, and an injecting tube connecting the settling tank with the boiler.

6. In combination with a locomotive having a boiler, two injectors and a lirebox, a pair of pre-heating tubes extending through the iirebox, a return tube con'imunicating with the boiler, a pair ot valves connecting said preheating tubes with said return tubel and with the respective injectors, and adapted through the operation ot either injector to establish comniunication with the latter and its respective preheating tube and to cut oil such communication with the injector when the injector is shut oii', and establish communication between the return tube and said pre-heating tube, a settling tank communicating with the pre-heating tubes, and an injecting tube connecting the settling tank with the boiler. i

7. In combination with a locomotive having a boiler, two injectors and a tirebox, a pair ot pre-heating tubes extending through the Firebox, a return tube communicating llt) with the boiler, a pair of valves connecting said preheating tubes with said return tube and with the respective injectors, and adapted through the operation of either injector to establish communication with the latter and its respective preheating tube and to cut off such communication with the injector when the injector is shut off, and establish communication between the return tube and said pre-heating tube, and an injecting tube connecting the other ends of the preheating tubes with the boiler.

8. In combination with a boiler having a fire-box, a settling tank, a pair of preheating tubes extending through the rebox and communicating with said settling tank, adapted to convey fee-d water to the tank either singly or together, an injecting tube connecting the upper portion of the tank with the boiler, the junctures of thepre.- heating tubes with the tank being disposed at points spaced from each other circumferentially of the tank, ay horizontal baffle plate in the settling tank to prevent direct flow of water from either ofthe preheating tubes to the injecting tube, and a vertically positioned battle plate supported from said horizontal baiie plate, positioned to prevent direct flow of feed water from one ot' the preheating tubes to the other.

9. In combination with a boiler having a Firebox, and two injectors, a settling tank, a pair of preheating tubes extending through the irebox and communicating with said settling tank at points spaced from each other circumferentially of said tank, an injecting tube connecting the upper portion of the tank with the boiler, a return tube, means connecting the preheating tubes and injectors and return tube in such manner that when one injector is in action it will force water through one of the preheating tubes into the settling tank, while the other preheating tube will be in communication with the returnV tube, and a baile plate in the tank positioned to prevent direct flow oil feed water between the preheating tubes.

Signed at Sioux City, in the county olE Voodbury and State of Iowa, this 15th day of January, 1925.

MICHAEL M. CROWLE Y. 

